First Town Downtown Windsor CT

Windsor CT Main Street Program
Phone: 860-247-8982

> First Town Downtown > Programs > Main Street Matters > Feb 4th Complete Streets Transportation Meeting Packed

Feb 4th Complete Streets Transportation Meeting Packed

Feb 4th Complete Streets Transportation Meeting Packed
A good sized crowd gathered for the Complete Streets transportation meeting on February 4th run by First Town Downtown in partnership with Transport Hartford Academy, Drinking Liberally and Windsor Chamber of Commerce. The organizations invited the public to hear from regional leaders and share ideas on making Windsor center safer and more bike- and pedestrian-friendly, while supporting small business and better controlling traffic. Topics for discussion included road diets, walkable and bike-able town centers, economic and transit-oriented development opportunities in the town center.

Complete Streets is a transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed and maintained to enable safe, convenient and comfortable travel with access for users of all ages and abilities whether they are drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, or riders of public transportation. A wide range of elements can contribute, such as sidewalks, bicycle lanes, bus lanes, public transportation stops, crossing opportunities, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, modified vehicle travel lanes, and streetscape treatments.

The four speakers were Marty Kenny of Lexington Partners, who developed the Windsor Station Apartments and many other luxury apartments in the area; Peter Souza, Windsor Town Manager, the facilitator and detail wrangler for all municipal projects in Windsor; Matt Hart, West Hartford Town Manager, who has experience with successful downtown road and pedestrian projects in several towns; and Patrick McMahon, President & CEO Connecticut Main Street, who extols the virtues of downtown planning for successful town centers for economic development.

Each speaker brought their own transit-oriented experiences to demonstrate the types of obstacles that might be encountered and the results that can be garnered for the local population. Attendees also heard how the transit oriented development planning started in Windsor and how it has progressed since. Most interesting were the plans for the future. Peter Souza handed out a diagram of Broad Street as it might look in several years’ time, with on street parking, pedestrian friendly walkways, and safer crossings.

Windsor business people and residents enjoyed the presentations and took the opportunity to ask questions. Melissa Rickard, a seeing-impaired resident who was recently struck by a car on Broad Street wanted to know what plans are in place to make street crossings safer and to slow traffic. Others asked about bike lanes and general development on Broad Street. Still others wanted to discuss the funding for the potential projects. The panelists were open to all questions and responded well, offering solutions and encouraging optimism for the possible upgrades.

The meeting was catered by Union Street Tavern, generously donated by Lexington Partners. If you missed this meeting, there will be another on March 4th at Jim’s Pizza on Poquonock Avenue in Windsor at 5:00 pm. You can RSVP online at firsttowndowntown.org or call 860-247-8982.



Mission Statement
The mission of First Town Downtown is to position and promote Windsor Center as a premier New England town center that protects and utilizes its proud heritage as the basis for developing vibrant recreational, economic and cultural activity.

Become a member of First Town Downtown and be a part of the growth of Windsor's downtown area and Windsor as a whole! Join or Renew your membership in First Town Downtown, Windsor's Main Street program.

  • Address:161 Broad St, Windsor, CT

  • Phone: 860-247-8982

  • Email: info@ftdt.org